WhatsApp is quietly phasing out one of its more personal customization tools, and the change is already reaching users on Android and iOS. The shift means avatars are no longer just harder to find; for many accounts, they are becoming impossible to create, edit, or place on a profile.
The removal is unfolding gradually across the app, from settings to profile pages and even the chat screen. Some users have already noticed that the Avatar submenu has disappeared, while the option to use an avatar as a profile photo has also been removed.
Access is disappearing in more places
The change is not limited to one menu. In chats, the media keyboard no longer shows the avatar tab, leaving only GIF and sticker tabs available.
That means avatars can no longer be accessed or sent from the conversation view the way they were before. The feature was once closely built into the messaging experience, but that integration is now being stripped away piece by piece.
WABetaInfo was the first to report the change, and the scope has reportedly widened in recent days as more accounts lose access. For users who still see the Avatar menu in settings, that access may only be temporary.
Warnings are already appearing
Some users who open the Avatar menu in WhatsApp settings now see a warning that avatars will no longer be editable soon. A similar notice has also appeared on WhatsApp’s Help Center page.
The message is clear: WhatsApp will no longer let users create new avatars. It will also remove the ability to edit existing ones, and avatars shown on profiles will be taken down.
Even so, not every trace of the feature disappears at once. WhatsApp says existing avatar stickers can still be used, giving longtime users limited access to what they have already created.
What still remains usable
Stickers that were already sent in chats are still there. If they were saved previously, they can still be accessed from the recently used sticker section or from the favorites tab.
That leaves a narrow path for users who have old avatar stickers stored in their chats or sticker library. The core creation and profile functions, however, are being removed from the app experience.
A feature that once received regular updates
WhatsApp launched avatars in December 2022 as a customizable digital representation for users. People could build one from an existing photo or create it manually, adjusting details such as hairstyle, facial features, and clothing.
Although avatars were not among WhatsApp’s most essential communication tools, the feature did receive ongoing updates. In June 2025, WhatsApp still added improvements including background colors and animation options for avatars.
That recent update history makes the current removal more notable. Instead of expanding the feature further, WhatsApp is now dismantling it gradually across different parts of the app.
No official explanation yet
WhatsApp has not fully explained why avatars are being phased out. There has been no official detail on the decision or on usage data that may have influenced it.
Still, the move appears consistent with the possibility that avatars never became a widely used feature. With chat, calls, channels, stickers, and media sharing remaining central to the app, avatars may simply have fallen lower on the priority list.
The removal is not happening all at once, and there is still no specific timeline for when every WhatsApp user will lose access. For now, anyone who can still find the Avatar menu may only be seeing the feature in its final stage before it disappears from settings, profiles, and chat access entirely.
